Borg - any volunteers?

[Timo]

But as we saw, he HAD no former personality to revert to.

Or then he had a very bland one.

No, seriously. We have been told many times that the Borg don't procreate, not the usual way - and apparently not in any unusual way, either, as there has never been actual evidence of the Borg procreating. Granted, the Borg (or Q, or Guinan) may lie about such things, but it's just as easy to assume that they speak the truth, and the only way to become Borg is to get assimilated.

It's just that the Borg also assimilate children, including infants. If Hugh were assimilated at the age of two months, he'd hardly have a "personality"...

Remember why the Borg assimilate. They think they are doing good to the assimilees. If they cloned Drones all by themselves, that would mean less people assimilated and thus less good done. Plus, we don't know that they would actually need the Drones for any purpose other than enjoying being a Drone.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

It's just that the Borg also assimilate children, including infants.

It is debatable whether or not the (two) Borg babies we have ever seen have been assimilated, or 'grown' in-house.

I see no reason to dismiss the possibility that the Borg do a sort of in-vitro fertilization to raise drones themselves. There is certainly no conclusive proof that they don't. Just because they assimilate doesn't mean they don't also do this.

 

[UncleRogi]

I think that the process that created One was revealing. They obviously have the technology to clone. But do they?

I agree with the previous poster: there is no advantage to cloning for the Borg, except maybe in the case of a Queen.

Assimilate, assimilate, assimilate. Resistance is (almost) futile.



( is "assimilee" a real word or obscure grammer? )

 

[Timo]

Star Trek is a wonderful excuse for expanding one's vocabulary - by force, if necessary.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Frontier]

While it might be cool story-telling, I can't see anyone actually being dumb enough in the 24th century to volunteer to be tortured, violated, surgically augmented, and reduced to a mindless automaton.

Seriously.

Consider what little we've seen of the assimilation process. Limbs removed, eyes removed, likely excruciating pain, all individuality erased, mentally reduced to a mobile turnip...

Now could there be a megalomaniac who might want to take the Queen up on her desire for an 'equal' if such became known that she wanted such (which she clearly did/does)? Sure.

But I imagine such an individual would end up trying to take over and the Queen would have to kill them before long.

 

[Tiberius]

I had a dream I was a Borg once. Spectacularly unpleasant. I;d rather die than have it happen to me in real life.

 

[plynch]

Why are you so enamored of individuality?

Because it is an absolute right that all people should be able to enjoy if they wish.

why is some other form of consciousness/existence automatically bad, wrong, dismissed out of hand?

When it's forcibly imposed, that's why.

I thought the thread asked for volunteers. If I volunteer, it's not imposed, is it? Maybe I misunderstood.

Think of what you would gain. Doesn't 7 speak of that, sometimes?

 

[T'Girl]

Think of what you would gain. Doesn't 7 speak of that, sometimes?

If you could have the positives, while not exposing yourself to the negatives. Great. The health benefits of the nanites sound fantastic. For someone disabled the various prosthesis of the Borg would increase the quality of their lives.

I wouldn't want the mental connection myself.

So if you could pick and choose, without having the package deal, which is a horror show.

 

[CaptainMatt]

I cannot see anyone knowingly agreeing to be assimilated.

 

[lisa]

assimilated? no thank you. I mean.... Unless It would guarantee me a body like 7of9. There is not much I wouldnt go through to look like that in a skin tight body suit.

 

[T'Girl]

in a skin tight body suit

It might be easier to understand your previous post Lisa, if you would display a picture of your current self actually wearing a skin tight body suit.

 

[lisa]

Bahahahhaha! Never!

 

[Gary7]

Freedom. I never saw any Borg enjoying recreation on a cube. A little Borg ping-pong anyone? No. It was work anytime you weren't regenerating. Sorry, I like having my own free time, thank you. I'd never willingly join a Borg collective and become a drone. As a human being you have far greater autonomy in your life. You'd rather give that up? Even in the military you have greater freedom than in the Borg collective.

 

[Yevetha]

What do the Borg think about when not fighting or assimilating?

 

[Methos]

cybernetic implants are one thing... i have no problem with those... either for medical, 'upgrade' or recreational use, i can see them becoming more and more prevalent in the near future...

As for a 'hive mind' and loosing all individuality, i'd fight to high heaven to prevent that...

So it's definitely a no for me...

M

 

[NightOwl]

Freedom. I never saw any Borg enjoying recreation on a cube.

Since we know that their identity is suppressed, would drones be interested in anything like that? Considering the obsession with efficiency that Seven has, I doubt that after a while drones would be interested in anything that can be seen as inefficient.

Personally though, I don't care for assimilation. Sure the implants are nice and all, but having my identity and individuality shoved to the background... I don't know... if I am actually aware of that and unable to do anything, I'm out. Mostly I'm leaning towards no. Besides, I don't think it would do the collective any good to have my dark and pervy thoughts running around billions of lifeforms.

 

[Tiberius]

The identity is still there. It just isn't allowed control. But if you are assimilated, you;re inside there, aware of everything.

 

[tafkats]

Here's a question: would you do it for one day if you could be unplugged? Or would the horror of it be too great?

No way! To me, losing individuality is one of the most traumatic things that could happen to someone. It's true that becoming a part of the Borg collective would give you access to tremendous knowledge, but at what price? I've always viewed assimilation as a form of mental and physical rape. They invade your body with cybernetic mechanisms and your mind with their collective consciousness. I don't think any amount of knowledge or power is worth losing who you are.

But rape is by definition nonconsensual, so if you decided to become assimilated without coercion, the analogy would stop making sense.

This discussion sort of reminds me of the Buffy episode with the vampire-worshiping cult...